


Okay

by MoonlitMusings



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: 12:37, Carlos is a Good Boyfriend, Cecil Is Not Described, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-25
Updated: 2016-09-25
Packaged: 2018-08-17 04:02:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8129701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonlitMusings/pseuds/MoonlitMusings
Summary: When Cecil comes home after the events of 12:37, he's not doing well. Carlos does his best to help him feel better.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written for lauravbleedotie who asked for some Cecilos fluff about Carlos comforting Cecil after 12:37. Ended up with a higher proportion of hurt to comfort than I planned, but that episode just gives me a lot of feelings.

“Goodnight, Night Vale. Goodnight.” Cecil’s voice was steady as he signed off. His hands were shaky as he removed his headphones and flipped the necessary switches to end the broadcast, disconnecting the booth from the rest of the town. He held his hands up and tried to will them into stillness. He sat for a few minutes in his chair, sipping his tea and focusing on his breathing. He was ok. This wasn’t a big deal. There were plenty of reasonable explanations. He had just listed them to the listeners. Everything was fine. He was fine. He repeated as much to himself as he gathered his things, clocked out, went to his car, and began the drive home. Everything was fine. He was fine. There was no reason for him not to be fine. On autopilot, he stopped by a convenience store and purchased a bottle of brandy before driving the rest of the way home. Everything was fine. Drink to forget. Everything was fine. He was fine. It wasn’t until he opened the door that he paused in his internal recitation and automatic actions.

While parking, he hadn’t noticed Carlos’ car already there. As Cecil stepped through the door, Carlos turned to look at him from the living room. He looked Cecil over, growing more concerned upon seeing the bag-obscured bottle in his hand. Their eyes met, and the look of concern on Carlos’ face caused Cecil to freeze. For a moment, there was only tense silence, the atmosphere feeling like a rubber band being pulled tighter and tighter, no one knowing quite when it would snap.

“Ceece?” Silence. “Are… how are you?”

“I-“ Cecil’s voice wavered. His lip quivered. His throat tightened. His eyes stung. His hands resumed their shaking. His will broke. “I’m not ok.” Carlos was across the room in seconds, his arms wrapping around Cecil just in time to keep him from collapsing. Words of comfort flowed quietly from Carlos’ mouth as he helped Cecil over to the couch. He gently took the brandy along with Cecil’s bag and set them on the coffee table before wrapping Cecil in his arms once more, positioning them on the couch so his sobbing boyfriend could lean against him more comfortably. Carlos didn’t bother trying to guess how long it was before Cecil calmed down enough to breathe somewhat normally and start drying his eyes. He just allowed himself to feel relived each time he noticed the sobbing quiet more. Eventually, Cecil sighed and spoke.

“I’m sorry.”

“What for?” Cecil lifted his head from Carlos’ shoulder where it had been since they’d sat down, and looked at Carlos.

“For, well, this,” he said, gesturing to himself, and more specifically his rumpled, tear-stained state. “There’s no reason for me to… well… it’s not a big deal, right? Like, stuff like this happens all the time. I mean, sure they usually happen to more than just me, like usually people remember it too but it’s… it’s still… totally…” His voice broke, and Carlos decided to interrupt.

“No, Ceece, it’s, this is fine. I mean, not this the situation, but the you being upset. You being upset is fine. Well, not fine like “I’m glad you’re upset,” but like, it’s ok for you to be upset fine. You don’t have to apologize, is what I’m trying to say.”

Cecil sighed. “But there’s no need. Like I said before, there’s plenty of good reasons why I would have seen and heard and… felt… things that no one else remembers. Even if I did my whole show on it. And even if it was so…” he shook his head and took a breath. Carlos thought for a moment.

“There are. Reasons, that is. But no matter what reasons there are, you’re still allowed to feel confused and worried.” He considered saying more, and decided to push a little. “You’re allowed to be scared.” Cecil froze before resting his head back on Carlos’ shoulder. Carlos breathed a small sigh of relief as he did so. They sat in silence for a minute before Cecil spoke again.

“You really don’t remember it do you.” Carlos hesitated before slowly shaking his head. 

“No, I don’t.” More silence. Carlos ran his fingers through Cecil’s hair with one hand and rubbed his back with the other.

“It just… it all seemed so real. I’ve never had a dream that… but it felt as real as sitting here with you-“ There was a heavy pause before Cecil slowly sat upright. “You’re… this… this is real, right? You, and me, here, on our couch, in our home…” Cecil’s eyes welled up once more and his voice cracked on the next words. “This is real, right?” Carlos pulled Cecil close until he was in Carlos’ lap as he started sobbing again.

“Yes! Yes, Ceece, honey, I’m real. This is all real. You exist and I exist and we are really here together in our house that also exists. You’re really here. This is real.” Cecil let out a small sob before burying his face in the crook of Carlo’s neck. Carlos rested his head against Cecil’s before continuing. “And you know what else, Ceece?” He heard a muffled noise come from Cecil that he took for a “what”. “I believe you.” Cecil slowly lifted his head, reddened, watery eyes meeting Carlos’, full of shock and hope.

“You do?”

“Of course. I may not remember it, you might be the only one who does, but I believe you experienced something at the baseball field today. I believe you saw what you say you did, and heard and felt all the things you talked about on the air. And in fact, I can’t…” Carlos paused, his brow wrinkling in thought. “I can’t… actually… seem to remember what you talked about before the last part of the show. There was the endless line, and I remember the weather, and traffic, and the… the laser tag pit but… there was, more. I’m sure…” Carlos shook himself out of that train of thought and returned to the matter at hand. “So there’s nothing saying it didn’t all actually happen. But even if it was just a dream or a hallucination, it still felt real to you, right? It’s still an experience you had, and that’s what matters, really.” Cecil stared at Carlos for a moment before leaning in and hugging him tightly.

“I love you.” Carlos smiled.

“I love you too.” They held each other for a while, until Cecil’s stomach emitted a growl. Carlos chuckled. “We really should get you some food. Would you be ok staying here while I cook dinner, or would you rather come with me to the kitchen?” Cecil thought about it before electing to follow Carlos. They moved toward the kitchen, and Cecil sat in a chair at the table, positioned so he still had a good view of Carlos busying about, making chicken soup. Once he was done they ate quietly at the table, before moving to the couch with some of the brownies they had made together a couple days before and settling down to cuddle and watch a movie. Cecil selected a documentary. Carlos didn’t question it. He understood. After the day Cecil’d had, reality was far more comforting than stories.

Carlos woke up in the middle of the night, neck slightly sore. They had both fallen asleep on the couch. He gently woke Cecil and led him into the bedroom, and helped him get undressed and into bed, and snuggled close upon joining him. He laid awake for some time, trying to remember what Cecil had talked about during most of the show, and finding he couldn’t. He resolved to start looking into it the next morning. Then he snuggled as close as possible to Cecil who finally looked relaxed now that he was asleep, and drifted off himself.


End file.
